Eastside Community Heritage's exciting Working Lives of the Thames Gateway project was launched on 20th September by the musical legend Billy Bragg and the eminent historian of London Jerry White.
Almost 100 former workers, community activists, local historians and members of the public gathered at the London Metropolitan Archives to celebrate the lives of those who made East and South East London a thriving industrial heartland.
The event showcased Eastside Community Heritage’s exciting Working Lives of the Thames Gateway project. Hundreds of interviews will be recorded with former industrial workers. Community projects and schools workshops will then share these memories, particularly with young people.
Eminent historian Jerry White launched the day with a fascinating insight into the migrant communities of East London in recent centuries.
A panel comprising an archivist, a historian, a worker and a community representative then discussed what they think it is important for us to remember about working life in what we now call the Thames Gateway. The audience then shared their views through a Q&A session and vox-popping.
Musical rebel Billy Bragg kicked off the afternoon by drawing upon his own personal heritage and inspiring the crowd with his rallying call that “local history and projects like this can bind our communities together and show what we have in common, in the face of those who try to divide us.”
Attendees then broke into groups to watch archive films of the area and to learn about preservation of artefacts and tracing their family tree.
Judith Garfield, manager of Eastside, brought the day to a successful conclusion by stressing the importance of the Working Lives project and calling on everyone to get in involved.
Afterwards former Roneo Vickers worker Jeff Porter said “like thousands of others I worked in a very large factory of the type which has almost vanished now. It’s vital that the memories of these places are never lost.”
For more information about Working Lives of the Thames Gateway and to get involved, please visit the projects section of this website.
Eastside would like to thank guest speakers Billy Bragg and Jerry White, as well as panelists Peter Catterall, Lorraine Clarke, Jeff Porter and Simon McKeon.
